The Mystery of Expedition
by withlovemelanie
Summary: The doctor struggles to find out the truth about who Clara is, and as they set out on adventures, the doctor realizes how significant this fragile girl is to him. With each journey, the doctor unveils his feelings towards Clara.
1. Introduction

_* I've never written a fanfiction before, especially not about Doctor Who. I decided to give it a shot, I am not British, and their may be a few faults regarding Doctor Who logic so please excuse the mistakes and enjoy this Whouffle fanfiction. This chapter is merely an introduction to the story and is quite short. Stay tuned for more :)_

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It was late at night in the TARDIS, well not really as the TARDIS had it's own warped sense of time. However, he considered it to be nighttime as this was the time of day that his human companion, Clara was sound asleep. The time of day that he was left alone to muse on and on inside his head about the infinite mysteries left to discover. This particular night, along with many others, the doctor had just been trying to discover the mystery that was Clara Oswald. It had merely been two days since Clara had joined him, three since his last meeting with the Victorian Clara and five since Oswin had helped him evade the Daleks. Already, this girl had saved his life more times than she could possibly understand.

The doctor knew that she couldn't possibly be a trap, or a trick, she was far too pure for that. However, she was still a threat, something he feared. Not in the conventional sense, but he feared losing her again, for the third time. He feared being at fault for her death as he had been for the other two Clara's. But most of all, the doctor feared losing the company of this bright, intriguing girl before ever truly discovering the truth about Clara Oswin Oswald.

"Oi doctor, I can't seem to find my room again." A woman's voice yelled across the room, startling the doctor out of his thoughts.

"Sorry, did I scare you?" Clara smirked teasingly.

It was quite peculiar, the TARDIS never seemed to have this sort of problem with his other companions. It seemed to be doing this quite a lot, locking Clara out and now hiding her room. The doctor sighed.

"Let's have a look then, shall we?" He extended his hand out, which Clara eagerly grabbed. Her hand was small and petite compared to his large fingers, but the pressure from their interlocked hands was comfortable, warm and very much welcomed. Clara was soft and kind, as was everything about her. The doctor knew that he wouldn't let her slip away this time.

For the second time that day, Clara interrupted his thoughts. "There it is. I could have sworn it wasn't there just a minute ago."

And right then it was as though the frustration of being unable to find her room was completely erased. Their she stood, with her world class smirk and bright eyes. The doctor couldn't help but stare.

"Oi, what are you staring at?"

"Just thinking. Sleep now Clara, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." The doctor shot her a quick wink before closing the door to her bedroom.

"Good night doctor." Clara responded.


	2. Chapter 1: The Devaloka

*Note that each journey that Clara and the doctor go on will most likely be 3-4 chapters depending on my schedule

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"Where to today Clara?" The doctor shouted as he heard footsteps approaching the console room. It was mid morning in the TARDIS, and also the time of day that the doctor had marked to be Clara awakening from her sleep. She had the same sleeping pattern, regardless of what time she went to bed she woke up exactly 9 and a half hours later. It was intriguing how the melatonin hormones worked in humans.

"Or should I say wh-" Clara smirked, trying her very best to imitate the doctor as she said this. Her voice was still thick with sleep, and was cut off by a stifled yawn, "when too?"

"I do not sound like that!" The doctor responded, pretending to be hurt by her remarks. He wouldn't let her get away with that one that easily though, "So Clara Oswald, when-" the doctor said, followed by a very exaggerated yawn. "Too?"

The two of them had a fair laugh about it, both wanting the final word. That was the way it worked with Clara and the doctor, they were two very stubborn and witty people, the last remark was coveted. It was all part of their inner childish personalities, and their playful interactions. Their friendly teasing was suddenly interrupted by the growl of Clara's stomach, causing the doctor's trademark "Ha ha" to escape his lips as he rubbed his hands together and turned his head towards Clara, doing nothing more than raising an eyebrow.

"I'm thinking breakfast in an exotic place. I do quite fancy tropical areas." Clara said eagerly, answering the doctor's earlier question.

"Exotic place it is." The doctor replied amused.

After pulling a few levers, and pushing a few buttons that Clara still didn't understand, the doctor extended his arm to Clara, in which she linked with hers all too willingly.

And as the TARDIS door opened, the doctor held Clara closer than ever. His treasure, his little insightful, courageous, beautiful treasure. His fear of losing her had done nothing but intensified. As they set out of the TARDIS, arm in arm, they were very surprised with what they saw. This was nowhere near the Devaloka that the doctor had encountered before. This was pure gloom, with dark, threatening skies and destruction. Dead bodies were scattered, the smell excruciating, causing Clara to cringe her head into the doctor's shoulder.

The rhythm of her heart momentarily distracted the doctor, her singular, warm heartbeat. The doctor felt the warmth that came across his body as Clara exhaled, and the presently emerging tears that ran down her cheeks onto his blazer.

Clara seemed to be far more empathetic than his other companions especially regarding civilian death. It had happened back on the submarine a couple days ago as she encountered her first body, and now again as she fearfully watched the bodies of a civilization she was unfamiliar with. He figured this was merely because she was younger, as well as a few other things. Martha was a doctor, she was trained to understand death. Donna, she was just too stubborn, didn't believe anything was set in time. This regeneration of the doctor appreciated Clara's childish complex, it matched well with his personality.

"Doctor, what's happened here?" Clara whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

"I don't know Clara. I don't know." The doctor muttered, that was a phrase he very rarely used. After travelling to different places during different times, there was very little the doctor couldn't understand. And this was one of them.

Clara shot him a surprised look, as if she too thought the same. If the doctor truly didn't know, than this was very strange, very strange indeed.

He couldn't wrap his head around how this could have happened to such a peaceful species such as the Kinda.

"What are we going to do doctor?" Clara asked, rather hesitantly. Her lips moves, but the rest of her was stationary, her eyes still glued to the dead corpses.

"Right now we're going to get back into the TARDIS. Now Clara." The doctor finally said in a very urgent voice, confusing Clara so much that she snapped right out of her daze.

"What did you just say? I thought the first rule of travelling with you was that we never turned away.

"And we won't." The doctor assured her. He knew what to do, go back into the past, a few years maybe. If this demise had occurred naturally, it was not the doctor's place to interfere because all planets die out eventually.

"Let's go look examine what's happened, then we can decide what to do from there." The doctor knew though that he had to proceed through with caution, he wouldn't let anything harm Clara. As he thought this, his hand instinctively stroked the back of Clara's dark hair, pulling her close into his chest as he inhaled her warm fragrance.

Clara was taken by surprise, but easily adapted, muzzling her head into his warm body.

The doctor grasped her tightly for a few seconds, then planted a light kiss on the top of Clara's head.

"What was that all about? Not that I object." Clara asked, finally breaking the peaceful silence after minutes.

"I- I thought you were scared." The doctor lied rather obviously.

Clara cocked an eyebrow at the doctor, but said nothing, as she wasn't sure what one could say in a situation such as this. Instead she merely said, "So are we going or not?"


End file.
